Storm, Lance; Sherwood, Simon J; Roe, Chris A; Tressoldi, Patrizio E; Rock, Adam J; Di Risio, Lorenzo

Author(s)

Storm, Lance

Sherwood, Simon J

Roe, Chris A

Tressoldi, Patrizio E

Rock, Adam J

Di Risio, Lorenzo

Publication Date

2017-10

Abstract

In order to further our understanding about the limits of human consciousness and the dream state, we report meta-analytic results on experimental dream-ESP studies for the period 1966 to 2016. Dream-ESP can be defined as a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP) in which a dreaming perceiver ostensibly gains information about a randomly selected target without using the normal sensory modalities or logical inference. Studies fell into two categories: the Maimonides Dream Lab (MDL) studies (n = 14), and independent (non-MDL) studies (n = 36). The MDL dataset yielded mean ES = .33 (SD = 0.37); the non-MDL studies yielded mean ES = .14 (SD = 0.27). The difference between the two mean values was not significant. A homogeneous dataset (N = 50) yielded a mean z of 0.75 (ES = .20, SD = 0.31), with corresponding significant Stouffer Z = 5.32, p = 5.19 × 10-8, suggesting that dream content can be used to identify target materials correctly and more often than would be expected by chance. No significant differences were found between: (a) three modes of ESP (telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition), (b) senders, (c) perceivers, or (d) REM/non-REM monitoring. The ES difference between dynamic targets (e.g., movie-film) and static (e.g., photographs) targets was not significant. We also found that significant improvements in the quality of the studies was not related to ES, but ES did decline over the 51-year period. Bayesian analysis of the same homogeneous dataset yielded results supporting the 'frequentist' finding that the null hypothesis should be rejected. We conclude that the dream-ESP paradigm in parapsychology is worthy of continued investigation, but we recommend design improvements.

Citation

International Journal of Dream Research, 10(2), p. 120-140

ISSN

1866-7953

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52379

Publisher

Universitaet Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health

Title

On the correspondence between dream content and target material under laboratory conditions: A meta-analysis of dream-ESP studies, 1966-2014

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Storm, Lance Sherwood, Simon J Roe, Chris A Tressoldi, Patrizio E Rock, Adam J Di Risio, Lorenzo
Publication Date	2017-10
Abstract	<p>In order to further our understanding about the limits of human consciousness and the dream state, we report meta-analytic results on experimental dream-ESP studies for the period 1966 to 2016. Dream-ESP can be defined as a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP) in which a dreaming perceiver ostensibly gains information about a randomly selected target without using the normal sensory modalities or logical inference. Studies fell into two categories: the Maimonides Dream Lab (MDL) studies (<i>n</i> = 14), and independent (non-MDL) studies (n = 36). The MDL dataset yielded mean <i>ES</i> = .33 (<i>SD</i> = 0.37); the non-MDL studies yielded mean <i>ES</i> = .14 (<i>SD</i> = 0.27). The difference between the two mean values was not significant. A homogeneous dataset (<i>N</i> = 50) yielded a mean <i>z</i> of 0.75 (<i>ES</i> = .20, <i>SD</i> = 0.31), with corresponding significant Stouffer <i>Z</i> = 5.32, <i>p</i> = 5.19 × 10<sup>-8</sup>, suggesting that dream content can be used to identify target materials correctly and more often than would be expected by chance. No significant differences were found between: (a) three modes of ESP (telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition), (b) senders, (c) perceivers, or (d) REM/non-REM monitoring. The ES difference between dynamic targets (e.g., movie-film) and static (e.g., photographs) targets was not significant. We also found that significant improvements in the quality of the studies was not related to <i>ES</i>, but <i>ES</i> did decline over the 51-year period. Bayesian analysis of the same homogeneous dataset yielded results supporting the 'frequentist' finding that the null hypothesis should be rejected. We conclude that the dream-ESP paradigm in parapsychology is worthy of continued investigation, but we recommend design improvements.</p>
Citation	International Journal of Dream Research, 10(2), p. 120-140
ISSN	1866-7953
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/52379
Publisher	Universitaet Heidelberg, Central Institute of Mental Health
Title	On the correspondence between dream content and target material under laboratory conditions: A meta-analysis of dream-ESP studies, 1966-2014
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

On the correspondence between dream content and target material under laboratory conditions: A meta-analysis of dream-ESP studies, 1966-2014

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